In order to use a PACS, each badge must be entered into the database. In the days before PIV cards, this was simple; enter the person's name in the database, along with the badge number, and you are done. With the new credentials, however, things are more difficult. Credentials are referred to by their Federal Agency Smart Credential Number (FASC-N) which is not printed on the exterior of the PIV credential. In fact, many of the data elements usable by a PACS are stored on the smart card chip but not on the exterior. Most PACS, for instance, require the FASC-N, cardholder's last name, first name, middle initial.
The card's expiration date and photo are also desirable. To get at this data, a card reader and software are needed to extract the FASC-N and other data from the card and to place it in the PACS. Because each manufacturer's PACS uses a proprietary database schema, PACS registration software must provide the means customize this extraction by mapping the PIV data elements to that PACS's database columns.
For the PACS to operate as a caching status proxy where credentials are revalidated on a regular basis after they have been registered, the PIV Authentication Key certificate and the Card Authentication Key certificate should also be retained in a secure database accessible by the PACS.
